


Towards the Night Sky

by Arktikko



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: (kind of), Canon Compliant, Character Study, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff and Smut, I rated this as E to be safe even though it's probably closer to M, M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 03:54:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9474539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arktikko/pseuds/Arktikko
Summary: "Baze sighed at the memory. It was strange to think that insomnia was the one constant in his life. "--Set during the imperial occupation of Jedha. Baze can't sleep and his mind wanders.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally a character study of Baze, but it ended up having a bit of smut in it too. The focus is still on character study though. Hope you enjoy!

For what seemed like a hundredth time that night, Baze sighed, adjusted his position and tried to will his head to melt into the pillow. He hated these kinds of nights, no matter how used to them he was

And he was, as much as it pained him. The unfortunate truth was that he had occasionally had nights like these for as long as he could recall. He half imagined, half remembered himself, long time ago, laying on a cot very similar to this one, listening to the other pupils make noises in their sleep around him in the temple. He had been angry at himself, worried that he wouldn't be able to be at his best at training the next day. He remembered the furious determination to be the best in class and the frustration he had felt knowing that that wouldn’t be possible if he kept yawning through practice.

Baze sighed at the memory. It was strange to think that insomnia was the one constant in his life. He didn’t get as upset about it anymore but it was still frustrating. Baze could feel the lack of sleep weighing him down, exhaustion tugging at his aching limbs. His body was begging him to go to sleep, but to no avail. His form may have been weary but his mind was restless, and no matter how much he tried to manually shut himself down it didn’t seem to be working. His mind kept thinking on through the night. 

But who could blame him? There was much to think of these days. Much more now than there had been when he was still a young acolyte, lying restless in a temple. The memories of those long sleepless nights were painted with frustration and boredom. Now those feelings had been replaced with uneasiness and dread. Baze frowned. Some part of him longed for that life. How easy things had been when his ultimate goal in life had been to make a good impression on the older monks and his biggest fear had been getting caught stealing fruits from the temple gardens. 

 

Nothing in those gardens had borne fruit in years.

 

”Trouble sleeping?” 

Baze was startled by the sudden sound. The figure next to him turned around on the cot and draped an arm across his middle. Baze turned his head to look at his husband and his frown grew. 

”I thought you were asleep,” Chirrut chuckled. He made a pretty picture with his hair shining in the faint light and his mouth turned up in a sleepy smile. Looking at him, Baze felt some of the tension leave his body. He hadn’t realized how wound up he had gotten. 

”Mmm, I might have been if someone hadn’t been sighing so much next to me.” There was no bite in the words, just fondness. 

”Apologies,” Chirrut smiled and leaned against him, warm and sleepy. Baze turned towards him and pulled him closer. If there was one thing that was better now than it had been then, it was this. The thought made him smile. This wasn’t the first night this he had woken Chirrut up. A memory of another night came to him, though this one fond, not frustrating.

_”Trouble sleeping?”_

Chirrut had startled him that night as well. Nearly killed him, to be exact. They had been older, though not by much, and he had been even more restless. That night he had decided he had had enough of tossing and turning for a lifetime and he had got up silently to slip out of the guardian chambers, thinking that cool night air might help him in his desperation. When Chirrut had found him, he had been sitting on the edge of the roof, on their usual spot, legs dangling over thin air. The only problem had been that Chirrut had managed to be even stealthier than him and had only spoken when he was directly behind Baze. The sound had made him jump and nearly fall of the side of the building

 _”For the love of- Chirrut! You can’t do that!_ ” 

He remembers trying to yell without waking the whole temple.

Chirrut had only smiled and sat down next to him

_”Do what? Sneak out in the middle of the night? You’re one to talk.”_

_”You know what I mean! I could have died!”_

_”No, you couldn’t have. Besides, I would have grabbed you before you fell. I have good reflexes.”_

_”Whatever, why are you up here anyway, you should be asleep.”_

_”Says you.”_

_”Yeah well, I couldn’t sleep. But based on your snoring down there, I didn’t think you had that problem.”_

Baze remembered how Chirrut had laughed and leaned against him then. They had both been young and while their friendship wasn’t new, there was something happening between them that neither one of them could put a finger on. It definitely had something to do with the way Chirrut was leaning against him, and how it was both horribly exciting and absolutely mortifying at the same time. That Baze had known, if nothing else. 

_”I don’t know why I woke up, actually, I was having a lovely dream.”_

_”Oh yeah?”_

_”Yeah. It had something to do with me pushing you off a roof, wonderful really.”_

Baze had punched his shoulder. Chirrut had laughed again. 

_”No, but… really, I don’t know why I woke up. I just did. I felt like I should, I guess. I knew you’d be here somehow.”_

_”How? Based on an empty bed? I could have been relieving myself for all you knew.”_

_”Well I suppose I didn’t want to imagine that.”_

Baze remembered how Chirrut had turned his face up and away from him towards the night sky, his expression having suddenly gotten contemplative. Light had shone his hair then as well.

 _” I think… I think it was the Force, calling me to you.”_

_”The Force? That’s not how the Force works, I don’t think.”_

_”But do you know? Why else would I have woken up?”_

_”Maybe you needed to relieve yourself?”_

_”Very funny. Also doesn’t explain why I would have known you were here.”_

_”Maybe I am just predictable?”_

” _Well, that is true.”_

Baze had punched his arm again, softer though, much softer. Chirrut had giggled against him and then rested his head on Baze’s shoulder. Baze remembered how the touch had burned though him, lighting something inside him. Chirrut’s hand had been resting against the stone between them and it had felt like the bravest thing in the world to very, very slowly cover it with his own. If the other had noticed he hadn’t said anything. Baze knew he had noticed.

_”I can feel it, you know. The Force.”_

_”Mm?”_

_”Yes, in everything. But… especially when I’m with you.”_

_”Oh.”_

_” I knew it led me to you tonight, I just don’t know why.”_

Baze remembered sitting there silently like that for a long time. The night air had been blowing dust from the desert and it had made a soft sound against the old weary building. Chirrut had been warm against him, and suddenly Baze had felt incredibly lucky he had been found that night. He had stolen a glance at Chirrut, whose head had still been turned towards the sky, like he was able see the stars somehow. He had looked breathtaking. Baze had felt something rise in his chest. In his memory, his heart had been beating so loudly he had hardly been able to hear himself as he spoke.

_”I don’t know why the Force brought you here either, if that’s really what it was…. but I guess I’m glad it did.”_

_”Oh yeah?”_

_”Yeah. Now if we get caught I can blame it on you.”_

Chirrut had laughed again, and Baze remembered thinking it was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard.

 

He looked at the man in his arms. They had come a long way since that night. A very long way. Some of the things he had done he regretted, but somehow he had still ended up here, with Chirrut in his arms. It felt like absolution, like it had all been worth it. Suddenly, and for what seemed like the first time in years, he felt lucky. To have this was worth more than what they had lost, at least to him. 

It was a selfish thought, they had lost so much after all. The world was so different now, so much of the light and happiness it had once held had been taken, stolen. It made Baze’s heart heavy, yet looking at Chirrut in his arms, he knew that if he had to choose between preserving the rest of the world and having Chirrut, he would always be selfish. Chirrut anchored him and loved him and Baze did the same in return. He supposed they were both lucky in that sense. However it also seemed like he was still somehow keeping Chirrut awake. That wouldn’t do. 

”Just because I can’t sleep doesn’t mean you shouldn’t,” Chirrut only smiled and let his hand travel up Baze’s side to his face and rest there. He rubbed his thumb against Baze’s cheek and softly brought their foreheads together. 

”Yet I sleep better knowing my husband isn’t awake, thinking up a storm next to me,” He let his thumb run across Baze’s lips softly. Baze sighed at the touch, feeling himself relax further, despite everything.

”I know… but I do not mean to keep you awake with my troubles I’m sor-” Chirrut made a small noise of exasperated amusement and shushed him.

”Do not apologise to me, you old fool. When have you minded helping me with my troubles? Am I not allowed to pay you the same respect?” He slid his hand to Baze’s hair and tangled his fingers in it. 

”I -I suppose…” Baze mumbled. ”However, my thoughts aren’t… they just go dark sometimes.” Baze spoke softly, as if not to disturb the quietness of the night. Chirrut’s expression was thoughtful when he replied.

”I know. I can feel it, in the Force around you.” Baze frowned. Just like that his tension was back. 

”The Force, huh?” He felt something cold crawling in. Familiar bitterness that tempted to consume him from time to time. This was wrong – wrong to be angry at Chirrut, wrong to be angry at all, but after all this time, it still got to him in the moments like this. 

He broke free from Chirrut’s soft grip and sat up. Chirrut sighed behind him, a soft tired sound, and it felt like a pinprick in his heart. He ignored it. Baze turned away and looked around in the darkness. This time of the night their small apartment was usually flooded with faint light, illuminating their room and making their mundane belongings look beautiful, if only for a small while. Now that light was nowhere to be seen. Apart from a few lonely rays, the space around them was drenched in darkness – comforting and secure, yes, but still wrong. He turned to look out of the window into the night. Lying on their bed, looking out of the window, you could easily see the stars and NaJedha reflecting light at them. Now that view was blocked by the imperial ship floating above them, hanging above their city like a thundercloud. It was also blocking the light that was supposed to be streaming in to their room. He should have known.

It was too much, the anger was rising in his throat like bile, bitter words trying to escape from his lips into the night. That imperial ship was a testament to everything that the empire stood for, casting its shadow on everything. Baze felt nails biting into the flesh of his palms, his fists clenched tightly by his sides. There was nothing the Imperium’s filth hadn’t corrupted, not the people, not the land, certainly not himself. Not even their tiny room had been spared and yet Chirrut talked about it like it was all part of a bigger plan. It wasn’t like Chirrut could see the shadows. They had fought their battles over the Force years ago, both knowing it to be a futile fight by now, and yet every day the same questions rang in his head. If the Force truly was so powerful, why didn’t it do anything to stop any of it? He knew what Chirrut would say, that all was as the Force willed it to be, but it wasn’t enough. It had been, once, but not for a long time. What kind of a Force would let any of this happen? He would never be able to understand how Chirrut could still lay his life in the hands of the Force, even after it had been proven to be uncaring or worse. Why didn’t he want to find answers? Why didn’t he want to scream, and cry and yell till his lungs gave out and-

”Baze.”

He felt a warm hand on his back. Chirrut had sat up behind him. Baze turned around to face him, to do something, to yell maybe, to fall apart, but as he turned, he forgot everything he was supposed to say. The few rays of light that had managed to get past the imperial ship seemed to have all attached themselves to Chirrut, making his skin gleam in the light. He was sitting in front of Baze, shining in the darkness, hurting his eyes. The tiny specks of dust floating around Chirrut in the light looked like tiny constellations, and his unseeing eyes were blue and impossible to look away from.

He looked holy. 

Base felt out of breath like he had been hit. Chirrut brought his hands up to cradle Baze’s face and spoke.

”I know you are in pain. I know you are angry. I feel it too. That’s why we fight. But some things are not in our hands…” Baze let out a shuddering breath and Chirrut smiled like his heart was breaking. Chirrut too had lost so much. 

”I do not know why things are going this way, I wish I did but I do not. I say all is as the Force wills it, and I know it to be true, but I do not understand the Force. Sometimes I wish I too could hate the Force but I can’t hate it. I can feel it. It is everywhere. It is as real as you and me and it is guiding us. I know it,” his hands were warm on Baze’s face. Chirrut’s voice was steady but his face was filled with emotion, it looked like the light was shining from him. 

”The Force isn’t strong with me. Most of the time it is just a silent hum, a thought at the back of my mind.” Chirrut was speaking slowly, as if it pained him to admit it and Baze brought his on hand to curl on top of Chirrut’s one. 

”But when I am with you? I feel it. I feel it flowing through us, tying us together. I felt it when I first met you. The pull of the Force was stronger than I had ever felt before and it led me to you. I felt you and I knew we needed to be-” Chirrut’s voice was cut off, shaking with emotion. Baze felt hot tears in his eyes and gasped as Chirrut’s fingers traced his lips. Chirrut let out a breath and smiled, tears gleaming at the corners of his eyes as well. 

”That’s also how I know the Force can’t be bad,” He said softly. ” Because you are good, because what we have is good. How could something evil bring about anything so beautiful?” Baze let out a breathy laugh and brought their foreheads together. Chirrut sighed and Baze wrapped his arm around him to bring him closer. 

”The Force brought us together,” Chirrut whispered fervently and Baze felt the words more than heard them.

”That is a gift. That is all I could have asked for in this life.” he felt Chirrut’s hand on his face tremble and he knew that he too was shaking as he brought their lips together. 

Chirrut kissed him and it was like they were still on that roof under the stars, like they were both still young and whole and happy. Chirrut kissed him and Baze wanted to cry. Beneath all that bitterness and heartbreak he felt something in his soul tug. Beneath it all was still that same boy who had been restless and new and had loved so very, very deeply. Baze kissed back with everything he had, and even thought it wasn’t like when they were young - he was too old, too desperate - his kisses were full of love, just like he was, like Chirrut was. Baze’s hands were grasping the back off Chirrut's robes, pulling him closer and Chirrut complied, like he always did. Now they were chest to chest, holding each other so tightly and it was too much and not enough. It was often like that with them, always tangled in each other, too knowing too close, or running away, Baze after whatever paid, Chirrut after whatever the Force guided him towards, both head first in to danger, both angry at the other for doing so. 

But there was no anger now. There was just love, and the desperate urge to hold on. Hold on to the best thing in their lives, to the only thing that was left, hold on to each other and never let go. They were at their best together, after all. Baze ran his fingers through Chirrut’s short cropped hair and Chirrut broke the kiss to press their foreheads together again. They sat like that for a while, just breathing each other in, letting the rhythm of their breaths calm them. Finally Chirrut laughed quietly and brushed his thumb against the corner of Baze’s eye. His eyes were still glassy, but Baze too was smiling, and Chirrut felt the creases under his touch. 

”Baze… my Baze…” Chirrut was tracing his fingers across Baze’s face, looking at him with them. Some of the light was still around him but he didn’t look as holy anymore. Not any more holy than he usually did. Now he was just the man Baze loved, smiling in the darkness of the early morning. 

”I don’t know if it was the Force that brought you to me” Baze said after a while, bringing his hand to brush against Chirrut’s temple. 

”But I don’t care. I’m yours. I was yours when we met and I will be yours when I die. That’s all I know.” His voice was rough and so were his hands, but Chirrut just sighed and pressed against him, smiling softer than before. They would never agree on the Force, they had known that for years. This was enough though, they were enough. They had each other; they had never really needed anything else.

”Baze…Come here,” their lips met again, softer but with a newfound purpose. Chirrut let go of Baze’s face and let his fingers tangle in Baze’s loose hair, half combing half pulling, making Baze smile against his mouth. 

”My love, my husband… ” Chirrut mumbled between their kisses, and Baze rewarded him by slipping his tongue softly into Chirrut’s mouth. Chirrut hummed happily, answering Baze’s kiss with mirth. Years of practice had made them both acutely aware of what the other liked and didn't like and the familiarity was comforting but not overpowering. Baze could still feel the heat inside him starting to build up, and knew that no matter how many times they would do this, the fire would never manage to disappear. The excitement was still there. As if on cue, Chirrut gasped against his lips and broke free.

”Baze,” there was a request in that word. He looked at Chirrut’s face in the darkness. His eyes were half lidded, his breathing labored, heavier than normal and even in the dark he could see the flush on Chirrut’s face, reaching from the edges of his smile to the tips of his ears. Baze felt the heat inside him spark and let himself be pulled down on top of his husband, surging in to kiss him deeply as they collided with the ground. Chirrut moaned and grasped at his night shirt, pulling him up, pressing their bodies together. He was half hard already, and Baze gasped at the sensation. Chirrut only smiled wickedly and pulled him further up so that they were rubbing against each other. He kissed Baze hard enough to bruise.

”Chirrut… Gods,” he breathed, making the other man laugh against his mouth. They had made love countless times. Baze knew Chirrut’s body like it was his own and loved it even better. Many nights had been spent doing just this, grinding against each other, and often it was enough. Tonight, however, called for something else, Baze knew it. He wanted to feel Chirrut, warm and alive and real and he wanted nothing to be in the way of that. 

He brought his hands to Chirrut’s shoulders and pushed off his robe, revealing the warm skin underneath. Chirrut had similar plans, and Baze had to stop moving for long enough that Chirrut managed to pull his nightshirt off him. It left Baze’s skin tingling, overwarm in the coolness of the desert night. He leaned back down to press kisses to every part of Chirrut he could find, his jaw, his hairline, his strenum, patternless but reverent. Chirrut made small noises, gasped and pulled his hair and Baze could feel himself starting to strain in his slacks. Chirrut cupped his face and pulled him up for a sloppy, heated kiss. 

”What do you want, my love?” Chirrut gasped his question into Baze’s hair as Baze began kissing him again, starting with Chirrut’s neck. It was a fair question, but Baze found it hard to form coherent thoughts at the moment. He loved nothing like being taken by Chirrut, his husband taking him apart piece by piece. Just the memory of Chirrut whispering in his ear – filthy, scandalous, loving words while moving inside him, fucking him – made Baze feel like he had been lit aflame. However, that would take time and patience – patience he didn’t possess at the moment – so it would have to wait for another time. No, now was a time for something quite different. 

”I have an idea,” He whispered against Chirrut’s temple, kissed him breathless, and then focused on his neck again, this time moving down with every kiss. Reaching Chirrut’s chest, he sat up, making himself comfortable between Chirrut’s knees. He pressed his hands against Chirrut’s belly, making the man moan and spread his legs wider. He loved this about his husband, how tactile he was, how vocal. He slid his hands down to rest at Chirrut’s hips and pressed a kiss to his abdomen, all warm skin and hard muscle. He then slid down further, ignoring the erection that was currently starting to leak on his husband’s belly, and peppered kisses to his hips, biting at the insides of his thighs. 

”Baze, please… ” Chirrut was breathing heavily, his back arched and his mouth open. Baze could have watched him like this for hours, and the temptation to do just that was there now, but he decided to have mercy. Besides, he loved this too. There wasn’t anything about this he didn’t love. He reached up just enough to claim Chirrut’s mouth in a hungry kiss, pressing his hand against Chirrut’s cock. Chirrut let out a breathless cry, muffled by the kiss, and bucked up into his hand. That was enough. Baze kissed Chirrut once more, and then leaned down and took him in to his mouth. 

Chirrut’s whole body arched like a bowstring. His hands found their usual place in Baze’s hair, gripping it as if to hold himself in place. Baze worked his mouth on Chirrut’s cock with a practiced ease, delighting in the broken sounds he was wringing from his husband, the halves of gasps and fragmented prayers spilling from his lips. Baze brought his other hand to work on Chirrut’s length in time with his mouth, the other he moved to his thigh to trace soothing patterns or pinch sensitive skin, whichever made the man shudder more.

He loved this. Loved the fingers in his hair, loved the trembling thighs, loved the sounds, loved tasting Chirrut like this, being surrounded by him so thoroughly. This was the closest he got to praying, these days. The repetitive movement, the focus, the devotion, they were all things he had first learned at the temple. The feeling was similar as well, leaving behind sense of the now, existing only within the prayer, losing himself in the sounds spilling from Chirrut’s mouth, all these things reminded him of each other. It was only right, some perverted part of him thought. He might have lost his faith in the Force but he had never lost his fate in Chirrut, and praying to him only made sense. Besides, he mused as he licked up Chirrut’s length, making Chirrut squirm and pull his hair hard enough to hurt, this was infinitely more rewarding than his prayers to the Force had been. 

He pulled his mouth off Chirrut, replacing it with his hand, and looked at the man in front of him. Chirrut was close, he knew it. He could tell by the increasing trembling of Chirrut’s thighs, and the noises that had become nearly impossible to hear, silent breathless moans. Baze felt pride looking at the dishevelment he had caused. Again, despite the odds, the light somehow managed to reach Chirrut, showing Baze exactly what he wanted to see – desperate hands clutching at the cloth under them, face turned towards the ceiling, wide eyes, mouth open, lips red from where Chirrut had been biting them. He couldn't resist the urge to lean over to kiss those lips, letting Chirrut lick into his mouth and taste himself on his tongue. He increased the pace of his hand and happily swallowed all of Chirrut’s moans, smothering the sounds with his kisses. Chirrut managed pull away from the kiss long enough to gasp into his ear.

”Baze, I- I’m gonna-” he mumbled between breaths, holding onto Baze like he’d fall apart if he let go. Baze hummed in acknowledgement, kissed him once more for good measure (and because he wanted to) and bent back down to take Chirrut in his mouth again. He felt Chirrut’s hips jerk up involuntarily and brought his hands to hold them in place, warm and calloused palms rubbing against the smooth skin. Chirrut was shaking now, too high strung to be comfortable, and it only took Baze a few more well timed strokes before Chirrut came with a breathless cry.

Baze swallowed all of it down, his thumbs tracing circles against his husband’s hipbones, enjoying the familiar taste. When it was over, he sat back up and looked at Chirrut, who still trying to catch his breath underneath him. 

”Good?” Chirrut laughed at the question and sat up, still slightly shaky. He brought his hands to Baze’s face and Baze kissed his palm. Chirrut hummed and smiled, brushing his thumb against Baze’s cheek, over his beard. 

”Yes, very. As always.” 

”Mm, I’m glad.” Baze was starting to return from wherever his mind had wandered, and consequently he was also starting to notice his own state. He was suddenly keenly aware of the wet patch in the front of his pants, and of his own erection, untouched but almost painfully hard. As always, Chirrut was one step ahead of him. 

”Ah, my beloved … come here,” Chirrut’s smile was wicked and his fingers were cool against Baze’s skin as they pulled his loose pants down to his knees. Chirrut hummed approvingly, feeling the swell of Baze’s erection, and Baze gasped as those clever fingers wrapped around his length.

”Mmmm, so warm, so excited. All this for me?” Chirrut cooed in his ear and started to work his hand steadily up and down his cock, making Baze’s legs tremble. His cock was slick with pre-cum and it was easy for Chirrut to pick up the pace. Baze leaned against Chirrut, unable to support all of his weight, and was rewarded with a warm mouth on his. He parted his lips for Chirrut, who took the opportunity to kiss him deeply and possessively, working his hand perfectly in time with Baze’s stuttering hips. He had been too hard for too long already, and if his muscles had been tired going to bed, they were straining now. Release wasn’t far away, but Baze knew Chirrut was determined to get everything he could out of the little time he had left. 

”Oh, Baze, my Baze… hard and aching… just for me…” Baze was rocking into Chirrut’s grip now and Chirrut turned his head to bite his neck, making him shudder. Chirrut's grip was tight, and every time he made Baze whimper or gasp he gave him a kiss or bit down and Baze could feel himself starting to crumble at the edges. His breathing was hitched, coming out in bursts, and when Chirrut pressed his lips against his he could only breathe against the other’s mouth. Chirrut breathed in tandem with him. He could feel the smile against his face. 

”It’s okay, you can let go,” Chirrut murmured against his mouth, pressing hot kisses wherever he could reach. 

”Come for me, my love, it’s okay.” And so it was. One, two, three strokes and he was coming with a sob, pressing his forehead against Chirrut’s, who was whispering loving words against his mouth, helping him through his orgasm with sure movements. Chirrut held him for a long time, steadying him untill his breath evened out and he was able to sit up by himself again, all the while sighing words of love and adoration, soft sounds filtering the silent night with warmth. 

Once Baze had finally returned to himself, Chirrut kissed him softly and got up. He walked to their tiny bathroom, took a rag, cleaned himself up and then walked back to clean Baze as well. Baze sat silently, watching his husband hum a tune and smile to himself as he worked the rag carefully. After he was done, Chirrut got up again and took the rag to the sink, leaving it there to be cleaned tomorrow. Baze laid back down on their cot and heard fabric rustle as Chirrut pulled his robe back on and climbed next to him. 

They were silent for a long while, holding each other in the darkness. Chirrut was petting Baze’s hair and Baze pressed their foreheads together again. It was as if something in the air was humming around them, and Baze could feel Chirrut’s steady heartbeat, clear like his own. 

”There it is, can you feel it?” The words were spoken barely above a whisper, and yet Baze heard them. He opened his eyes and looked at Chirrut, who was smiling again. 

”Feel what?” 

”The Force, around us, can you feel it?” He considered it for a while.

”You know, I just don’t think that’s how the Force works” Chirrut huffed a laugh. It was, after all these years, still the most beautiful sound he knew. 

”It doesn’t matter, though,” he continued softly after a while. Chirrut hummed and traced his fingers across Baze’s face, feeling his eyelids now starting to get heavy with long awaited sleep. 

”No?”

”No. I can feel you. That’s all that matters.” Chirrut’s fingers stopped their exploration and halted at his cheekbones. For what seemed like a small eternity, they stayed like that, frozen in time. Then, breaking the spell, Chirrut drew a breath and kissed him, without pressure, without haste, without complexity. Just a press of lips, chapped and warm and real. Baze felt himself melt into the kiss and into the mattress and into the night, deep slumber setting into his bones, starting to tug him asleep. 

The last thing he knew was Chirrut breaking the kiss and pulling away from him enough so Baze could see him once more. 

”That’s all right. I can feel it for the both of us.” Chirrut was smiling. So was Baze.

”I love you,” he mumbled and wrapped his arms around Chirrut’s middle. The words were well worn on his tongue, yet they had never lost their meaning. They never would. 

”I love you too,” he felt more than heard the reply, but where his mouth was used to speaking the words, so were his ears hearing them, and the volume didn’t matter. It was all he needed. It was all he knew. 

The tentative first rays of the morning light were starting to illuminate their tiny corner of the world, but only one thought rang in Baze’s head before he finally fell asleep. Tomorrow wasn’t far away but it was okay, he thought. He would face it like he faced anything: with Chirrut.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I have ever posted! It is also the first fic I have ever finished writing if I'm honest. I really hope you liked it! Please leave a comment if you can! It would mean the world to me. 
> 
> Additionally: english isn't my first language but thankfully I had a lovely beta (who wishes to remain anonymous). I couldn't have managed this alone.


End file.
